James adair



J. AD'AIR.

(No Model.)

UNDERSHIRT.

Patented Feb. 11,1890.

I l l I I l I l l l l l l l 5 Rvbm UNITED g STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES ADAIR, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

UNDERSHIRT.

SPEGIFICATION-formng part of Letters Patent No. 421,038, dated February 11, 1890,

Application led Apn'l 8, 1889.

To all whom t mag/concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES ADAIR, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Undershirts, of which the following is a speciiicaiion.

This invention is an improvement in wear ing-apparel; and it consists in a garment of novel form designed with a view to economizin g material and labor in its manufacture and providing a remedy for shrinkage of the material of which it is composed.

This invention is especially useful as an undershirt, and in the following specification it will be described as made for such use.

I make my improved shirt in substantially the following` manner: A rectangular piece of iiannel or other desired material is cut and provided along the edges near one end with flaps, which are sewed on, if desired, though the material may be simply out wider to secure the same result. Through the center of this piece is out a T-shaped opening for the head of the wearer, and the pointsA are turned over to form a collar. Along the edges of the iiaps are buttons or fastening devices, by means of which and a suitable cord, when the shirt is put on, they are drawn around the sides of the wearer. The opposite end of the piece is or may be provided, also, with bands to fasten the shirt tightly around the body. There is thus made a shirt which is capable of being tted or secured snugly to the body, which is easily put on or taken off, and in which provision or compensation is made for shrinkage.

The drawings illustrate in detail the nature of the invention.

Figure l represents a plan view of the shirt spread open, and Fig. 2 is a View of the same closed and in the condition in which it is worn.

The shirt consists in a plain piece of fabric, generally rectangular in shape and formed or provided with the extensions or aps A along a little more than one third of its length. This portion of the shirt, which by the flaps is made wider than the rest, is designed to encircle the body below the arms, and is termed the body-band. It is designated by the letterA. Along the edges of the flaps A2 are series of buttons @and when the shirt is put on with the part A over the back of Serial No. 306,303. (No model.) i

the wearer the flaps A2 are drawn forward and secured by the aid of an elastic looped cord D, the loops d of which engage with the buttons d. rlhe elastic cord D is knotted into loops or button-holes (l, so placed with respect to the buttons a. with which they engage that the strain on each opposite pair of buttons may be in parallel lines, in order to avoid wrinkling the fabric of the garment. The or dinary diagonally-fastened cords in use would not be applicable t0 this form of shirt unless some means be employed to maintain the edges of the iiaps A2 straight.

The shirt is held in proper position on the body by the part A', which is carried forward over the shoulders and covers the chest and portions of the body not protected by the iiaps A2. In putting on the garment the head is passed through a T -shaped opening B cut in the part A. The opposite vertical edges of the front or narrower portion A of the garment are drawn tightly back to the body of the wearer by elastic bands C, provided with button-holes c', and which pass behind the back of the wearer. Buttons a are secured along the edge of the part A', with which to fasten the bands C.

dIhe garment is provided, as stated, with a T-shaped cut or neck-opening B, the turnedover points b of which serve to form an ornamental collar, as shown in Fig. 2. The two flaps or sides of the neck-opening are closed by cords or ribbons b. The cut edges of the garment are hemmed or bound to prevent raveling.

The garment may be made entirely of one piece or of several pieces sewed together.

Various devices may be used for fastening the edges of the garment around the body, and garments of various kinds may be made in this manner.

The main advantages of the garment are the readiness with which it may be put on and taken off, the closeness with which it may be made to iit the body, and the ample provision which is made for shrinkage, thus making it possible to use iiannel and similar materials which shrink very much in washing.

l. A garment consisting of a iiat strip of fabric with a central opening for the head and of greater width on one side of said open-A IOO ing than on the other and provided with fast- 'l for securing the edges of the garment togethening devices along the edges, whereby both er, as set forth. the wider and narrower portions of the strip In testimony of the foregoing specification may be fastened around the body of the I do hereby sign the same, in the oityof New r 5 wearer, as set forth. York, county and State of New York, this 6th 2. 1%scllrttronsistitriglo alflat srip of fabric day of April, A. l). 1889. provlc e w1 1a een ra -s iape opening or the head and with flaps along,r the edges of JAMES ADAIR' the rear or back Covering portion of said strip, the strip being provided along its side edges with buttons and elastic connections Vitnesses:

J. ODELL FoWLER, Jr., E. SCHUBERT. 

